Netflix And Chill: Incoming (2024)

The bad thing about being connected with so many film fans from all over the world is that it can become exhausting, and quite expensive, to try and keep up with the many recommendations you can receive. The good far outweighs the bad though, and one upside is remembering some of those titles when you're after a particular kind of title for your latest viewing choice. I had started watching Incoming a few weeks ago, but general life stuff had interrupted my movie time, which meant I gave up on it and didn't think it worth rushing back to. Then I heard it recommended by a good friend of mine on a podcast that he co-hosts. So I figured I would trust him (and that isn't always advisable, but this time around I am glad that I did).

Mason Thames is Benj Nielsen. He's about to start his first year of being at high school, which means he has to do something to redefine his personality as he wades through some dangerous freshman waters. He has some good friends in Connor (Raphael Alejandro) and Eddie (Ramon Reed), but the trio have to split up when a party thrown by the older brother of their mutual friend, Danah (Bardia Seiri), only has room for one of them to get in the mix with the older guests. Benj sees it as a chance to really shoot his shot with Bailey (Isabella Ferreira), but that's complicated by the fact that she's both a) a bit older than him, and b) a good friend of his sister, Alyssa (Ali Gallo). Meanwhile, Connor and Eddie end up unwillingly driving around Katrina (Loren Gray), a young woman who has partied far too hard and won't tell them where she lives until they first get along to a Taco Bell.

The feature directorial debut for brothers Dave Chernin and John Chernin, who have done some excellent work on the small screen with a couple of shows called It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia and The Mick, Incoming is another near-perfect example of how to deliver a great teen comedy for audiences who can't be served up the same kind of gags and gratuitous nudity that used to be a staple of the sub-genre, but would now be considered ugly and problematic viewed through a more modern and progressive lens. There are some gags and moments here that would work at any time, but one or two moments feel all the better for the feeling that some kind of balance is being redressed (the car scenes, for example, feel very much like a much more amusing and updated riff on a story strand in Sixteen Candles that has not aged well). The Chernin brothers are smart enough to update some tropes without feeling as if they're neutering them, and they're smart enough to know that a lot of the laughs can come from a good mix of characters, portrayed by cast members who feel just right in their roles.

Thames is a strong lead, naive and vulnerable enough to root for, even as he mistakenly changes himself for the benefit of approval from people he shouldn't care about. Alejandro and Reed are equally good, and both get to be involved in one of the funniest set-pieces in the entire film. Both Feirreira and Gallo have fun in their roles, the former being very cool and coveted by young Benj, the latter being quick to cut down anyone around her as she rolls her eyes and pretends to be cool about her ex-partner being in a new relationship, and Loren Gray deserves some praise for her commitment to a seriously unflattering role. Seiri is amusingly smooth/sneaky, Kayvan Shai is entertaining as his older brother, and someone who is keen to use violence whenever possible, and there are superb contributions from Thomas Barbusca (a stoner causing some trouble), Bobby Cannavale (a teacher trying to stay cool with the kids, but hoping to not go too far overboard), Scott MacArthur (an inconsiderate man who happens to be dating Eddie's mother), and Kaitlin Olson (who essentially bookends the film to advise/chastise her children).

It starts off a bit sedate and mild, and you may think (as I did) that it's not going to be worth your time, but give this a chance and you'll find yourself letting out some big laughs as things escalate. The momentum builds nicely, there's a fine soundtrack accompanying the many party scenes, it doesn't outstay its welcome (the runtime is a pretty perfect 91 minutes), and there's a finale that is as smile-inducing and satisfying as it is wonderfully cheesy. Just fantastic fun all around.

8/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Netflix And Chill: Champions (2023)

We’ve all seen this kind of thing many times before. This is a film that has someone being forced to coach a team he initially has no interest in. The team don’t seem destined for greatness, but there’s a chance that the players may actually provide some valuable life lessons to their new coach. It’s all very predictable. It’s also very enjoyable and entertaining when done well, and Champions is done well.

Woody Harrelson plays Marcus, a man who ruins his career with the double-whammy of a big argument with his boss (Ernie Hudson) and then being caught for a DUI. Forced to do hours of community service, Marcus ends up coaching a basketball team made up of youngsters who are, well, quite different from your usual basketball players. Most of them have disabilities to deal with, but they can also work together to show Marcus that his negativity and stubborn attitude is just as big a problem for the team as any on-court aptitude. 

The first solo directorial outing for Bobby Farrelly (MUCH better than his second go, the odd Dear Santa), this is a remake of a Spanish film, “Campeones”, adapted into this screenplay form by Mark Rizzo. Although I am unfamiliar with the original, it’s easy to see what would draw Farrelly to anything that was close enough to this material. He has worked on a fantastic sports comedy before (and that also featured Harrelson as some kind of coach) and the Farrelly brothers have spent most of their careers trying to make room for disabled individuals, both behind and in front of the cameras. Champions has a lot of heart, and a good message being delivered, but it also doesn’t forget to be funny, and a large part of the humour comes from the supporting cast being given chances to shine around people who either underestimate or just want to ignore them.

Harrelson is great in the lead role, doing the kind of thing that he can do in his sleep. He is there to teach others, but only until he realised that he is the one being taught. Kaitlin Olson is equally good, playing the sister of a team member, as well as being someone who once hooked up with our main character for a one night stand. Hudson is underused, but good enough, as are both Matt Cook and Cheech Marin. It’s hard to resent them being sidelined though, because that just means more time to enjoy the company of James Day Keith, Kevin Iannucci, Madison Tevlin, Alex Hintz, and all of the other team players. They may not be familiar stars, but Farrelly allows them all to improve every scene and show how well they work with the material.

You get standard soundtrack cues, very obvious plotting, and moments to warm the coldest heart, but you get it all in a package that is so expertly constructed that nothing seems like a negative. This is fantastic stuff, likely to please anyone after some good cheer and constant laughs, and I highly recommend it to everyone seeking a break from watching the hands of the doomsday clock creep ever closer to midnight.

8/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews

It's A Wonderful Binge (2022)

I quite enjoyed The Binge. I didn’t love it, and it isn’t a film I rush to recommend to others, but it was an enjoyably amusing distraction while it was on. So hearing that there was now a Christmas-tinged sequel meant that I had another film to add to my ever-bulging bag of festive viewing options. I wasn’t expecting anything amazing. I just hoped it might be as enjoyable as the first film.

Thankfully, it was.

The premise is similar to the first film. All drink and drugs are illegal, with a notable exception for one night a year, known as The Binge. Deciding that people cannot face the stress, and the family time, sober, The Binge is moved to Christmas. Which makes sense. One of our leads, Hags (Dexter Darden), wants to stay sober anyway, aiming to propose to his girlfriend (Sarah, played by Zainne Saleh), but poor Andrew (Eduardo Franco) may want to get as wasted as possible, considering how miserable he feels after spending a small amount of time with his entire family. Elsewhere, a mayoral candidate (Kaitlin Olson) wants everyone to live better lives, meaning that she wants them to turn their backs on The Binge, while her daughter (Kimmi, played by Marta Piekarz) feels extra pressure to behave in a way that won’t enrage her uptight mother.

While not everyone returns from the first movie, there’s nothing here that feels like viewers are being delivered any lesser options. When your supporting cast features Danny Trejo, Tim Meadows, Nick Swarsdon, and the aforementioned Olson, as well as a number of others helping to add to the fun, it’s enough to at least guarantee you a good time.

Jordan VanDina returns to the writing duties, but also takes over as director this time around. They do a good job helming the film, using the Christmas season as an excuse to heap more pressure upon the characters while also riffing on It’s A Wonderful Life (that strand featuring Trejo as some kind of angel in what I would say are some of the best scenes in the movie).

Franco and Darden may not be the first choice for many lead movie roles, but both do a great job here. Franco has been building up a decent comedy filmography over the past few years, and Darden proves himself just as capable as his co-star, helped by the script giving him wonderfully ridiculous obstacles to overcome as he tries to arrange a well-timed marriage proposal. Olson has fun being stressed throughout, Meadows steals every scene that he is in, and Trejo feels very much like he just came on set and acted like Trejo for a day or two (not a criticism, it adds to the fun of that character). Saleh and Piekarz do well, even if they aren’t given many of the more effective comedy moments, and there  are some great moments featuring Tony Cavalero (returning from the first movie) and Patty Guggenheim.

I cannot see anyone disliking this if they enjoyed the first movie. It’s absolutely on a par with it. Maybe not as Christmassy as it could be, which is a shame, but viewers should find enough to enjoy throughout.

6/10

If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A subscription/follow costs nothing.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews

Prime Time: Leap Year (2010)

When I first saw Leap Year, a fair few years ago, I hated it. It was the worst mainstream rom-com I had seen in a long time, hampered by two leads without any chemistry, or even much likability. Revisiting it today, I hoped to enjoy it more. Enough time had passed, I started off my day in a fairly good mood, and I now at least knew who I was watching (because I wasn't that familiar with Amy Adams the first time around).

Anna (played by Adams) is a woman who has her life exactly as she wants it. Her job is setting up homes ready for being shown by realtors, her boyfriend (Jeremy, played by Adam Scott) is a medical professional who seems to share her life goals, and she has just applied to live in an exclusive apartment complex, if she and Jeremy are deemed suitable. But Jeremy seems to be dragging his feet when it comes to proposing marriage. It's been a number of years. So, while he is in Dublin for work, Anna decides to head over there, hopefully in time for February 29th, when tradition states that women can propose to men. The journey doesn't go according to plan, not at all, and she ends up struggling to get to her final destination with the help of cynical Declan (Matthew Goode).

There's still a lot here that annoys me just as much as it did when I first saw it. The script, by Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont, isn't as funny or sweet as it could be, although there are a few nice touches throughout, and it often feels like it's marking off a checklist of rom-com cliches. Adams and Goode play characters who, of course, dislike each other from the very start, only to start warming up to one another as obstacles create more and more delays on their journey. She likes everything planned, he's more easygoing about things. She's romantic, he's cynical. She likes the finer things in life, he's happy with his familiar comforts. You get the idea. It's a shame that nothing feels even slightly fresh, especially when you check the filmography of Kaplan and Elfont and realise that they have written a couple of fun comedies together (to hell with anyone who dislikes Josie And The Pussycats).

Anand Tucker has more variety in his filmography, and it's fair to say that romantic comedies aren't exactly where he shines. He puts everything in place (cast, cameras, score, etc) but doesn't manage to give it any life. This is a bowl full of wax fruit. It will fool most people who walk by it, but heaven help anyone who grabs an apple to take a bite.

Now that I am more familiar with the kind of roles that Adams has played in her career, despite her growing range over the past few years, it's easier to enjoy her in this. Organised, romantic, and optimistic, this is a perfect role for her to play, and it's a shame that they don't add more com in with the clumsy rom. Goode is alright, I suppose, but I prefer him in roles that let him be a bit more intense and/or strange. Despite his good looks, he's not suited to being a romantic lead (although I am sure many women may disagree with me there). Scott is as perfect as he usually is when called upon to play the guy who is nice enough, but also just a bit . . . douchey in one or two main ways. There are others, including Kailtin Olson and John Lithgow in small roles, but the focus is almost always on Adams and Goode, with Scott being shown or heard just often enough to remind us that he's the reason for the misadventures.

Leap Year isn't awful. It's just inferior to hundreds of other rom-coms you could watch instead. And it doesn't even manage to distract you from those better films while it's playing, which is never a good thing.

4/10

The movie can be bought here.
Americans can buy it here.